War of the Roses
by Baka No Hanyou
Summary: Ever wonder why Kurama uses the red rose? Or what was going on in his life before he was killed by the Spirit Hunter? It all started with the youkai War of the Roses...
1. Prologue

Okay! I have had an idea for a Yu Yu HakushoxWar of the Roses crossover, but could never think of how to start. Now I have. R & R! I want to know how well this will go.  
  
"The Yoko Thieves Shi and Kurama," the jail announcer shouted across the room, for all to hear.  
  
Two kitsunes, one male, the other female, stepped through the already parted crowd of youkai prisoners; their platinum head and fox ears high above the crowd. But their height wasn't the only reason they were feared. They displayed great precision when they fought, though they had been cleaned of any and all seeds they carried.  
  
The girl was more deadly. She was one-third fire demon. She couldn't control fire, nor did she bear any resemblance to one. But she had the speed and ki type of one.  
  
None of that was more deadly than her girl kitsune heredity. Everyone knows that kitsune girls have beautiful singing voices that can make even the strongest demon stunned.[1] Or, to put it better, paralyzed. With one little sung chant, she had robbed even the strongest fortresses with her voice alone, by stunning the guards and using her speed, easily got passed the security systems.  
  
They feared her just as much as her younger brother, Yoko Kurama. They had made quite a name for themselves and the House of Yoko in the past twenty years. Now, they had been caught by the house of the red rose, or the House of Mancaster, and were reduced to pathetic warded things that were only in Japanese human myths. Yoko Shi was masked to keep from singing. She looked like a silver-haired Karasu, with the exception of lupin gold eyes to the pale purple of Karasu's. Karasu was the latest victim of the Toguro Brothers.[2]  
  
They were handcuffed and brought down a dank hallway, dimly lit by the torches. The guards in front and behind them seemed to be oblivious to them.  
  
The silence seemed to press in on them as their feet didn't even scuff against the ground, though Shi wasn't wearing shoes. Kurama remembered what she had told him:  
  
"Shoes are annoying little bastards that give away your very position from the extra five pounds on your feet."  
  
Kurama couldn't take the ringing in his sensitive ears anymore and, since they were going to 'meet their death,' he decided to break the quiet.  
  
"Some way to go, ne, sis? Quick and painless. With our records, I'm surprised they didn't starve us to death first or something."  
  
He couldn't see her smile, but her eyes lit up a little before going back to the dull luster of gold. Even with the handicap of the handcuffs, she found a way to grab his hand. They may have been family, but that didn't stop them from loving each other. Family marriages were as common as guyxguy and girlxgirl marriages. Not like the Ningenkai, where people are ridiculed for who they love, you can find couples of all sorts in Makai.  
  
The guards stopped, forcing the two to stop as well. A door was opened in front of them, and for a moment, the two kitsunes were blinded as sunlight poured in.  
  
The roar of the apparitions from the House of Mancaster filled their ears as they were pushed out into the open, awaiting the guillotine.  
  
Shi looked at the sharp blade that was destined to make an easy job of slicing her and her brother's heads off in one quick swipe and for the first time, fear shone in her gold eyes. The guillotine was supposed to be 'more humane' and as far as they both knew, this invention had stayed in Makai since the War of the Roses began.  
  
She made eye contact with her brother before they were parted. The fear that had just shown in her eyes was now replaced by 'confidence, with a hint of malice.' The plan had to be executed, if you forgive the pun, at exactly the right moment. One little slip could mean torture this time through. They would most likely be handed right over to the Koorime. And that was one race they both knew not to mess with.  
  
There had been recent news via the Makai grapevine, by gossiping guards, that there had been a male born on the Koorime Isle and had promptly been thrown off, expected to be killed. He survived and had made almost as much of a name of himself as they had. But not quite. Hiei, is his name, I think, she thought as she was pushed up the stairs. She was the one who would be sacrificed first.  
  
The drum roll started as she was lined up with the guillotine.  
  
Inari give me strength, they prayed.  
  
Right before her head was placed on the rest, she moved her head and the mask slid off to hang around her neck. And she started her singing chant.  
  
Mija sunija Inari no yori hairam rabead MAKAI!  
  
The audience and the guards standing by all fell forward, dazed.  
  
Kurama moved quickly as he grabbed the keys from one of the guards and unlocked Shi's handcuffs. Once she was out, she did the same for him. They each removed the wards on each other before they broke for the door.  
  
But all the guards had been warned of a possible escape attempt. No sooner had they got through the door that guards rushed at them.  
  
"Rose Whip!" the cries echoed down the stone hallways as each guard was slaughtered. They ran past the carcasses without a second look back.  
  
They eventually made it out of the palace, more and more guards being sacrificed. Kurama led the way to the stables as he grabbed a white horse and Shi a black one.  
  
"Remember," Shi reprimanded her brother from atop her stallion. "We shall meet up at Raizen's Territory." She faced forward. "Let's ride!" The horse rose on it's hind legs before it bolted into the forest.  
  
Kurama heard more guards approaching and quickly mounted and they, too, shot through the dense brush.  
  
The plants and trees parted before him as he tried to hurry the horse as fast as possible. Something whizzed by and hit the nearest tree.  
  
The King of Thieves smirked. So, they were trying to kill him with arrows? That's a laugh. A few more flew by, but he got the trees to take the hits. Soon, it had become a rain of arrows and his energy was becoming more and more expended from trying to control the trees of the forest. Trees were greedy little things that sapped your energy.  
  
Hours passed and both he and the horse couldn't take much more. He was sure that his sister had reached Raizen's Territory by now. But he would not let these big oafs catch her. He'd been leading them on a wild goose chase, far away from Raizen's palace as demonly possible. Now that plan seemed stupid as he was half of Makai away from the territory and would not make it by dark. The forest was so thick, the only way he could tell it was getting dark was by the force of the rising moons.  
  
Another arrow shot through the forest, and Kurama didn't catch it in time.  
  
It hit him square in the back.  
  
He fell off as the horse whined and ran into another horse.  
  
A girl flew off as well, slamming into a tree, while Kurama rolled and stopped in an open field.  
  
He tried to stand, but to no avail. He sensed the girl nearby. Two youkis in one. She was expecting. Wait. That was it!  
  
I am sorry, sister. I...have failed you. And with the last of his energy, parted his soul from his body and fused it with that of the girl's baby.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The guards broke into the clearing to find Yoko Kurama's bloody body and-  
  
"Lady Kohaku!" they exclaimed as they rushed over to her.  
  
With their help, she stood. A little woozily, but it meant the ruler of the House of Mancaster wasn't hurt too badly.  
  
She felt the back of her head and felt a warm, wet liquid. She brought her hand back and saw the red black liquid of her blood.  
  
"Come, come Lady Kohaku. We must tend to your wounds at once," the Captain said, helping her to his horse. One guard brought the stolen horse while another brought the Lady's horse back to the house of Mancaster...  
  
Woo! Prologue is done! And that only took me, about two hours. Now, to bed for me. I must be awake enough to watch KidsWB. Next chapter: 17 years have passed. What has happened to our kitsunes in that short amount of time?  
  
[1]-Not really. But in the Yoko family, the girls do  
  
[2] Did you ever notice that 'Toguro Brothers' kind of sound like 'Warner Brothers'? 


	2. The House of Mancaster

First chapter. Writer's block. Basic idea, yes. Know how to start it? No. Okay, great pep talk. And when I said 17 years, I meant 35 years have passed. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense, and Kurama would look like a five-year-old.  
  
"Master Hideaki, you are wanted in the meeting room immediately," a winged servant bowed. "Yes, yes, I'm coming." Hideaki stood with a heavy sigh and followed the winged youkai down a few hallways to the meeting room. The servant bowed and dismissed himself when they reached the door. Inari, why did I have to get stuck in the House of Mancaster, Kurama thought to himself as he entered. "Ah, my son. Come in, make yourself comfortable." An amber haired and eyed, winged demon came out of the shadows [1]. Hideaki made himself comfortable, but with the new addition of wings, it was hard. When I fused with her child, I didn't know I'd been signing a deal for these 'annoying little bastards.' Kurama started, but kept a straight face. The memory of his sister was too painful. One day he would go back. But not now. He had to stay and find Mancaster's weakness. Then maybe they could end this war once and for all. A few minutes of silence passed and Kurama almost went into a flashback. "What did you call me for, mother?" He fumed inside every time he had to call this woman that. "You shall be starting new lessons soon. Fighting, flying long distances in short amount of times, languages such as Japanese-" "What's that?"  
  
"It's a human language. The kitsune language-" "Kitsune?" Hideaki sat up straighter. "Yes. I know it pains you, but you must." Oh yes. It pains me so much. Kurama thought sarcastically to himself, hiding his smirk. "And such like that. Your lessons start tomorrow. You are dismissed." Lady Kohaku went back to her papers. Hideaki quickly stood and left, hurrying to his room so he could throw up.  
  
Okay, I know that was short, but my mind wasn't really on this chapter. I know perfectly well how to do the next chapter, though. So look forward to a good chapter! 


	3. Ryoko Jaganshi

My b-day is on Tuesday! Woo! Anyway, I know y'all have been waiting for the next chapter and for me to get off my lazy ass and write it. School does contribute to this, as well, but...Just nine more weeks of school....spent reviewing for the ISATs.......-_____- goody. For those of you who know your War of the Roses history, you know I'm making fun of the houses. In the house of the white rose it is really named York. The house of red rose is Lancaster. Yoko-white. Mancaster-red.  
  
A black shadow of a kitsune walked down the blood red carpet of the Yoko castle. He was the most talented of the Yoko Thieves; he getting the most fire demon powers and looks. One of his eyes was red while the other was gold. He had long, black hair and wore similar to what his little brother, Yoko Kurama, had worn; only his was black. He could control fire as well as plants, and was considered the deadliest of the Yokos. Although he fought for the white rose, he used black. No one held it against him, fearing his wrath more than anything. He arrived at a door and knocked lightly. "Enter." He opened the door and found his little sister, Yoko Shi, at her desk, writing in the Yoko language, which was quite difficult. Speaking it was one thing, and it dropped as a kitsune got older. It consisted of musical barks, and to one who was spoken to in the kitsune language would think they were being sung to. If speaking it was difficult, writing it was four times harder. It had more symbols than the Japanese kanji, and you had to memorize EVERY SINGLE ONE or would not succeed in a political world such as this was. "Is there a reason you have come, Daichi?[1]" Yoko Shi asked, not even looking up from her papers. Daichi stalled. "Mancaster has moved into our territory on the northeast side." "Strengthen the plants and armies there." She wrote a few more symbols. Silence. "Is there something else, Oniisan?[2]" When did she take up a HUMAN language?! Daichi wondered in bewilderment before he spoke. He would not be intimidated by his little sister. "It has been plaguing me for the past thirty-five years." Yoko Shi stopped writing, but did not make eye contact or, for that matter, bothered to look up. "Why did you not go searching for Kurama? I know that you two-" "Because I knew he was gone!" Shi's voice could have been heard all way to the Glacier, she had yelled so loud."Okay? I knew he was dead! King Enma has him and Inari would do nothing to return him![3] Get it through your thick head, Yoko Daichi!" Okay. He wasn't really AFRAID of his little sister, but if she wanted to, she could beat him to a pulp and send him back to Inari. "You may leave now," she said venomously. He got the hint. An after image remained for a few seconds as Yoko Daichi used his fire demon half to leave and go FAAAAAAAAAAAR away. The door slammed behind his after image. Yoko Shi sighed heavily, leaning against the door. Her gold eyes closed as memories of her twin and lover washed over her and threatened to drown her. She walked back to her desk and took out a small version of the shield that was the House of Yokos' trademark. It had a white rose and around the shield in all languages of Makai it reads: They seek them here They seek them there Those youkai seek them everywhere  
  
Some say they're in Heaven "Hell," others say Those damned elusive kitsune [4] Oh Kurama. Why did you leave me? Why haven't you come back? I can sense you out there somewhere. But why don't you come back? The sounds of crashing, cursing, and guards yelling orders sucked her out of her revere. She quickly hid the mini shield before opening her door to find a scene. Five kitsune guards were wrestling with a Mancaster in her hallway. Apparently, they had been trying to take it to her when it went nuts. She leaned in the door frame, smirking, watching to see if the idiots could handle it. "Let go of me you damn bastards!!" it screamed in a weird language (English). "Dumbasses! I swear if you don't release me I'll-" "That's enough!" Yoko Shi intervened. Plants shot out of the rug and tied the koumori's[5] arms and legs together. "The hell! Bitch!" The koumori hadn't gotten a look at who it was that had warded her, so she didn't know who she was insulting. Her mouth was also now covered with a plant. "Bring her," Yoko Shi commanded the low D-class kitsunes. The koumori came, twisting and mumbling. Yoko Shi sat back again at her desk as the kitsune guards left and the winged demon was let out of her plant trap. "When I find the whore that tied me up I'll personally send-"She looked up and saw Yoko Shi. Her mouth immediately shut, red eyes growing wide. She bowed to the ground. Not hard really, considering she was on the floor in the first place. "Forgive me, Lady Yoko Shi. I did not know it was you. It is an honor to be meeting you at last." "What makes you say that?" Yoko Shi asked. Divulge information....yes. "I come from a line of thieves. They talk of the greatest ones and you were mentioned on quite a few occasions." "Where do you come from? Mancaster?" She looked up, startled. "No! I come from the line of Jaganshi." "Hiei Jaganshi?" The girl's crimson eyes narrowed as she walked over to a bust in Yoko Shi's office. "Do you care for this?" she asked. "Not at all." It was something she had found in the forest. She was sure it had somehow come from the human world. Shi couldn't recall why she had kept it. It was such an ugly thing. "Let us pretend that this is Hiei." She pulled a katana out, that Shi hadn't known she'd had, and the bust was soon in pieces. "That shall be Hiei's fate." The koumori sheathed her katana. "He shall pay for taking my family's name. 'Look at me I got a Jagan, I'm really special now. I think because I got this third eye implanted, I should call myself Jaganshi.' Jaganshi has been my family's name for generations. The Jagan has always been in my family, inherited by genes. And no HANYOU FIRE DEMON IS GOING TO BE MY MATE JUST BECAUSE HE CALLS HIMSELF JAGANSHI!" "So, if you are not related to Hi-" The girl hissed. "To Hiei. What is your name?" "Ryoko. Ryoko Jaganshi." "Mm. 'Ryoko.' Good name. Beautiful...but deadly." "Thank you." "You are to be my minion." Ryoko gaped at her. But knew she could not fight the Yoko Thief Shi. Her shoulders slumped. "This is bullshit," she said in that weird language. "But you interest me," Yoko Shi continued. "So I shall treat you with the same respect as higher officials here." "You've got yourself a deal." Ryoko's long, dipped sleeves (like Inuyasha's) flowed gracefully as she shook hands with Yoko Shi.  
  
Done! *leans back* Two days, since I had to get off last night...and when I was on a roll, too. Ah well. It's done now. And my birthday is tomorrow (3/23). 14. One year closer to my learner's permit and high school. Japanese lessons, here I come. I don't think I'll survive tomorrow, with my whole neck, nearly my whole face, and the backs of my hands sunburned from skiing on Sunday. I didn't even need a coat. And I need 10 reviews from both FF.net and MM.org before I continue. Since I have 2 at FF.net, you only need 8 more and 10 at MM.org. I will not continue otherwise. Hiei: And the fact she has writer's block on what do to next... Shut up. So review, give ideas and the next chapter will be up soon!  
  
[1]- Daichi means 'grand first son.' And it fits him since his parents thought he was great....being part fire demon and kitsune. Unlike the Koorime, they knew he would be powerful. [2]- If any of you pay attention in Japanese, Oni is for demon. I just now noticed that it fits Daichi because he's a demon and a brother. Oni-san. [3]- In Japan, it is King Enma, and not Yama. He is the god of death. Inari, for those who don't know, is the rice god and her (I think it's a her) messenger is the ever elusive kitsune. Let me explain the King Enma thing. Neko is Japanese for cat. Koneko is kitten. So, I'm assuming 'ko' goes in front of any word and means the smaller version. So KOenma is the smaller version of King Enma. [4]- That poem is actually derived from The Scarlet Pimpernel. 'They seek him here, they seek him there. Those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Some say he's in Heaven. Some say he's in Hell. That damned elusive Pimpernel.' [5]- Koumori- I got this from another fic, so I don't know if it's right, but I think it means 'bat demon.' 


End file.
